Pipe-flanging tool



Aug. '19, 1924, 1,505,409

- P. MUELLER ET AL PIPE FLANGING TOOL Filed Nov. 26. 1921 In mung}:

I Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

[TED STATES 1,505,409 PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP MUELLER AND ANTON C. SCHUERIVLANN, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO ADOLPE MUELLER, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, AS TRUSTEE.

PIPE-FLANGING TOOL.

Application filed November 26, 1921. Serial No. 517,943.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PHILIP MUELLER and ANTON C. SoHunRMANN, citizens of the United States, residin at Decatur, in the county of Macon and tate of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Flan'gin Tools, of which the following is a speci cation.

The present invention relates to a pipe flanging tool designed particularly for use with pipes made of ductile material, as, for example, lead.

The tool is more particularly intended, and is here shown, for the flanging of lead pipes upon bushings or tail-pieces, although it will be understood that it is adaptable to other flanging operations.

In the flanging of lead pipes in making lead flange connections, it is broadly old to provi e a tapering flanging tool to spread the end of the pipe initially, and it is also broadly old to provide such flanging tool with stop means to limit the entrance of the tool into the bore of the pipe, this being disclosed broadly in our Patent No. 1,472,278, dated October 30, 1923.

The tool of the present application is of similar character, but of different construction from the tool disclosed in our earlier filed application, and while designed to do the same work so far as flanging or spreading of the pipe end is concerned, has different and novel means for stopping the action of the tool and limiting its entrance into the bore of the pipe, the present tool in one of its forms being of such construction that it may be ad'usted to permit eater or less entrance 0 the tool into the ore of the pipe'and consequently greater or less flanging or spreading of the pipe.

In order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, we have shown in the drawings herewith certain physical embodiments of our invention, but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and is in no sense restrictive of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in section of so much of a bench and pipe holding clamp as is essential to a disclosure of our invention, the pipe holding clamp having a pipe and bushing therein with the flanging tool in position after a partial initial flanging.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the pipe and flanging tool showing the relation of parts on completion of the preliminary flanging.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the tool shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the tool shown in Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of a modified form of tool.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the tool shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of tool similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, provision being made for adjust-ability.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a tool showing another form of adjustment.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating like parts in the several views,.10 indicates a bench or support of any suitable character to which is secured a post 11 provided with horizontal sockets 12 and vertical sockets 13. Mounted upon post 11 is any suitable clamping device, the one here shown comprising the upper and lower clamping members 14 and the liners 15 secured to the clamping members by the bolts 16, a bolt 17 being provided by which the clamp is secured to the post, it being shown in Fig. l as secured inthe horizontal socket 12 of the postll,

although it is apparent that if desired to operate upon a pipe held in vertical position as distinguished from the horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, the clamping instrumentalities may be mounted on top of the post 11 with the securing bolt 17 entered in the socket 13.

The liners 15 are recessed, as shown, at their outer ends to receive the tail-piece 18 upon which the lead pipe 19 is to be flanged, which tail-piece 18 is isually of brass, but may be of any suitable metal. When brought to the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the tail-piece 18, together with the pipe 19, are firmly clamped in position, and the pipe 19 Wlll be projected through the tail-piece 18 a suf' ficient distance to give suflicient material for flanging. In this position of parts the flanging tool, which comprises the flanging section 20, which is circular as here shown, and has an outwardly flaring wall from its main body portion to its base and a handle portion 21 by means of which it may be held by the operator and driven into the lead pipe to eflect the flanging operation,

' .will be driven into the bore of the pipe as the through the soft lead of the pipe and deshown in Fig. 1, and the pipe will be flanged outwardly as there shown. The effect of this part of the preliminary flanging operation is to slightly reduce the thickness of the wall of the pipe 19 toward its ends, or make such end tapering as shown in Fig. 1. As the tool is forced further into the pipe and the end of the latter comes against the inclined end wall of the socket in the tool head, the flared end wall of the tube will be thickened up so that, when the movement of the tool is finished, the section of the, tube wall will have been restored to normal thickness, as shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the changes which occur during the initial flanging operation, which flanging .operation is completed by flattening the pipe down to the right angle position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, snug against the end of the tail-piece, by another tool, which tool and operation since they form no part of the present invention are not shown-ordescribed.

It will be observed that the flaring section 20 of the tool will spread the pipe, as shown, so as to bring it to the position indicated in Fig. 2, but if no provlsion be made for stopping the flanging section 20 at a predetermined point, its gradually increasing diameter will tend to force the lead pipe against the sharp edge of the tail-piece 18 at its forward or right hand end as shown in Fi 2, and under repeated blows upon anging tool would ultimately cut stroy the flange. It is essential, therefore,

to a proper manipulation of this tool, that its action'be stopped immediately the proper spreading has been given to the end of the pipe and before any cutting action of the tail-piece on the pipe can occur.

In Figs. 1 to 4, 'we have shown the tool as provided with a stop flange 22 which is so proportioned in length to the length of the centrally disposed spreading element 20, that the said flange 22 will come in contact with a fixed .stop, as, for example, in the present instance, the clamping members 14, as soon as the part 20-has sufiiciently flanged the pipe and before there has been any detrimental cutting action of the tail-piece on the plpe. It will be observed that the flange 22 may be, as here shown, equal in length to the spreading section 20 of the tool, or 1t might be' of greater or less length, depending on the work being done, the thing desired being to so proportion the length of the parts or the work being done as that satisfactory flanging without any deleterious cutting of the lead pipe shall be accomplished.

In the form of the invention just described and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the stop collar 22 is shown as a cylindrical section. In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the tool is identical as to its flanging section 23 and handle 24 with the tool shown in Figs. 1 to 4, but instead of a cylindrical stop flange we provide one or more stop fingers 25, four being shown in the present instance, any one of which fingers contact with a suitable stop, as, for example, the clamp 14, and,have the same limiting action as does the stop collar 22 of the form first described, and shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

It is sometimes desirable to adapt a tool to slightly varying conditions of work, and in order to give adjustability to the tool, it

' may be constructed as shown in Fig. 7, in

which figure the flanging section 26 and the handle 27 are identical with the forms heretofore described, but the stop collar 28,

instead of being formed integral with the tool, as in the other forms described, is made separate therefrom and is adjustable longitudinally thereon. This adjustment may, of course, be accomplished in various ways, but one convenient form is by means of slots 29 and bolts 30 by which the stop collar 28 may be secured to the circumferential rib .or flange 31 projecting from the tool. With this construction, the stop collar 28 may be adjusted so as to permit a greater or less insertion of the flanging element 26 in the bore of the pipe. It is obvious that the same expedient could be adopted in connection with the independent fingers 25 of that form of the invent-ion shown in Figs. -5 and 6, by providing each of said fingers with a slot and bolt adjustment similar to that'disclosed in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 8 a different form of adjustable stop is shown, there being provided, in that particular construction, a threaded section 34 which forms the body of the tool, which section receives the threaded portion 36 of the stop collar 35. With this adjustable connection, the collar 35 may be adjusted upon the'body 34 to give the desired projection, locking means, as a lock nut 37 being preferably provided to lock the stop collar in place. The flanging tool 32 and the handle 33are similar in all re- P spects to. the corresponding elements found in the other constructions shown.

It will be observed that in all the forms of the devices shown, provision is made for insuring stop contact of the stop member either in a continuous line, as where the collar is used, or at a plurality of circumferentially separated points, as where the stop fingers shown in Fig. 5 are used. This construction is preferred for the reason that 1t insures a proper and symmetrical expanslon of the ipe. It will be obvious that if the stop col ar or the symmetrically arranged stop fingers be brought into stop contact wlth a suitable abutment, the ta ered expanding tool has made a uniform an symmetrical expansion of the end of the pipe,

careless workman as to unevenly flange the pipe by reason of the tilted position of the tool. Such variations in form and design and mechanical construction as are withinthe skill of the trained mechanic may, of course, be ,made without departing from the range of our invention, and we do not, therefore, limit ourselves to the exact mechanical details herein shown and described.- We claim: 1. A pipe flanging tool having a tapered member to enter and b contact therewlth while being moved longltudinally expand a pipe, and a stop member radially otfset from said tapering member, and havin its operative. face extending transverse y of the length of the tapering member.

2. A pipe' flanging tool having a tapered member to enter and by contact, therewlth while being moved longltudinally expand a pipe, and a sto member directly connected with and radia ly ofl'set from said tapered member, the operative edge of the sto extending transversely of the length 0 the tapered member.

"'3. A pipe expanding tool comprising a tapered member adapted to enter and b contact therewith-whlle being moved longltudinally expand a pipe; and a radlally off set sto member arranged circumferentially of sai tapered member, the operative end of the stop member being in a plane extending transversely of the length of the tapered member.

4. A pipe expanding tool comprising a tapered member ada ted to enter and by contact therewith whi e being moved longitudinally expand a pipe, an a stop collar radially oflset from'and surrounding said tapered member, the free, operative end of said collar being in a plane extending transversely of the length of the tapered member.

5. A pipe expanding tool having a'tapered member to enter and by contact therewith while being moved longitudinally expand a pipe, and a stop member radially ofi'set from I and longitudinally adjustable relative to said tapered member, said member being held stationary in any adjusted position.

6. A pipe expanding tool having a tapered member toenter and by contact therewith while being moved longlt'udinally expand a pipe, and a radially ofiset stop collar surrounding said tapered member and adjustable longitudinally relative thereto, said member being held stationary in any ad justed position.

7. A pipe expanding tool having a body portion, a tapered member extending therefrom to enter andby contact therewith while being moved longitudinally expand a pipe, and a stop colla'r surrounding. said- 8. A pipe expanding tool havmg a body.

ortion, a tapered member extending thereom to enter and by contact therewith .while being moved longitudinally expand a pipe, a stop collar surrounding said tapered member and adjustable lengthwise on said body portion, and means for locking said collar in any position of adjustment.

9. A pipe expanding tool having a threaded body portion, a tapered member extending from said body portion to enter and by contact therewith while being moved longitudinally expand a pipe, a stop collar surrounding said tapered member and threaded to said body; and a lock nut to hold said collar in any position of adjustment.

10. The combination with aholder adapted to clamp a pipe, of a pipe expanding tool comprising a body adapted to be manually supported and having at one end a tapered member, adapted to enter and expand the end of a pipe under pressure applied to the opposite end of the body, and a stop member connected to the body and projecting therefrom in the direction of the length of the. tapered member for the purpose of contacting with the holder in which the pipe is held to limit movement of the tool into the 11. The combination with a holder adapted to clamp a pipe, of a pipe expanding tool comprising a body having at one end a tapered member, adapted to enter the end of a pipe to be expanded, and having at its opposite 'end an elongated portion constituting a handle for supporting the tool and adapted to receive hammer blows for forcing the tapered member into the pipe to expand it, and a stop member radially ofi'set rom the tapered member for the purpose of contacting with the holder in which the pipe is held to limit movement of the tool into the pipe.

12. The combination with a holder adapted to clamp a pipe, of a pipe expanding tool comprising a body having at one end a tapered member, adapted to enter the end of a pipe to be expanded, and havin at its opposite end, in axial alignment wit said tapered member, a reduced elongated portion constituting a handle for supporting the tool and adapted to receive hammer blows for forcing the tapered member into a pipe to expand it, and a stop member radially offset from the tapered member, for the purpose of contactin with the holder in which the pipe is he 6. to limit movement of the tool into the pipe.

13. A pipe fianging tool havin a tapered member a apted to enter and i contact therewith while being moved longitudinally and by contact 12 longitudinally expand a expand a pipe, and a stop member radially offset from said tapering member and adjustable lengthwise thereol', said member being held stationary in any adjusted position.

holder in'which the pipe is held movement of the tool into the pipe.

15. A pipe flanging tool having atapered member adapted to enter and by contact therewith while being moved longitudinally expand a plpe, and a stop member radially offset from and arranged circumferentially of said tapering member throughout a considerable portion of the length thereof, and said member being held stationary in any J adjusted position.

16. The combination with a holder adapted to clamp a pipe, of a'pipe flanging tool having a tapered member adapted to enter and by contact therewith while being moved longitudinally the holder, and a stop member radially ofiset from and arranged circumferentially of said tapering member throughout the length thereof, and adapted to contact with the holder in which the pipe is held to limit movement of the tool into the pipe.

17 The combination with a holder adapted clamp a pipe, of a pipe flanging tool having a tapered member adapted to enter and by contact therewith while being moved longitudinally expand a pipe clamped by the holder, and a stop member radially 0&-

set from and extending throughout the length of saidtapering member and adapted to contact with the holder in which the pipe is-held to limit movement of the tool into the pipe;

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

PHILIP MUELLER. ANTON C. SGHUERMANN.

expand a pipe clamped by i 

